‘Vote for a new generation’: Candidate pushes for change in Gisborne

Jordan Walker is standing in the general ward for Gisborne District Council's elections this October. Photo / Zita Campbell

Jordan Walker is urging Gisborne residents to “vote for a new generation that is engaged, informed and ready to lead”.

The millennial candidate is putting their name in the ring for the second time to become a general ward councillor.

Walker, a 35-year-old freelance artistic producer who identifies as takatāpui (non-binary/trans), says it is young people who will bear the brunt of “climate-driven disasters and the impacts of unsustainable industries”, and noted Cyclone Gabrielle was “a wake-up call”.

Speaking with Local Democracy Reporting, they said: “If we don’t take serious action to protect and advocate for Te Tairāwhiti, we’ll continue to face worsening disasters, strained infrastructure and underinvestment from the central government.

“A vote for me is a vote for a new generation that is engaged, informed and ready to lead,” Walker said.

“Accessibility, equitable health, environmental stewardship, wellbeing and the arts” were focus points for their campaign.

“We need to build industries that serve our youth, so they see a future here and stay to help shape it.”

They first stood in the 2022 elections and received 322 votes. The eighth-place elected official, Teddy Thompson, got 1069.

Walker said the experience was “a huge learning opportunity” and they had since been working with kaupapa that “deeply reflect” their principles.

As a long-standing member of the Green Party, Walker was the 2023 Green Party candidate in the East Coast general elections. Campaigning for a party vote, Walker received the fifth most candidate votes of 1765.

Walker said when they travelled across the East Coast electorate, they found similarities in population diversity, industries and challenges, which enabled them to see the importance of elected officials connecting with councillors outside their region.

They said the Green Party endorsed their candidacy. They were not branded under the party but were resourced and supported, “so I don’t feel like I am alone at all”.

Walker said a few endorsed candidates were running for each council across the motu, and saw their connection to them as beneficial.

“We’re all so connected up the coast, our demographics are about the same ... we suffer the same sort of things when it comes to land use [and] isolation.

“So actually being able to work together and lobby and advocate together is such a powerful proposal,” they said.

Walker works as a freelance art producer under their company, Maraki Productions, and is connected to Arts Access Aotearoa.

They are also a former member of the Consumer Council of Gisborne Hospital, a member of the Local Advisory Committee for Fire and Emergency, and a board member of OutLine Aotearoa and Gizzy Local.

If elected, they want to re-establish a form of youth council to give more opportunities for youth to get involved in governance.

Walker is one of 19 candidates seeking one of the eight general ward spots.